Urban Canopy
Why is the Urban Tree Canopy Important?
Our urban tree canopy is crucial for stormwater management, pollutant mitigation, enhanced human health, and climate resilience. Green Snohomish partners with the City of Snohomish to increase, maintain, and celebrate our urban trees.
Fighting the Climate Emergency
As the climate emergency comes to the fore, an expansive, healthy urban tree canopy can help decrease the negative impacts by pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the tree tissue. Maintaining large older trees AND planting new trees is important. We have to balance both the efficient carbon absorption abilities of young trees with the long term carbon storage capacity of large mature trees.
Urban Tree Canopy and Environmental Justice
Studies show that neighborhoods with high poverty rates have higher heat island effects, due to lower urban tree canopy coverage. Better urban canopy coverage not only mitigates heat islands, but also creates more livable and walkable neighborhoods, improve air quality and social equity through access to nature.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now”
— Chinese Proverb
Tree City USA
Green Snohomish has been coordinating with the City of Snohomish to achieve Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA designation for our city. This program encourages and celebrates communities that prioritize and invest in their urban forests, promoting a healthier and more vibrant environment for residents. A city that cares about its trees also cares about its people.
Current Application Status
To qualify, a community must satisfy 4 standards, as established by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. This effort is currently underway.
Current Urban Tree Canopy
The City of Snohomish has begun developing an inventory of our current urban canopy, allowing for tracking canopy changes over time. This work is available to the public.
Snohomish Tree Inventory
In an effort to manage and enhance our urban tree canopy, the city of Snohomish has completed its initial inventory of all trees in the public right of way, parks, and other city properties. Find species, health condition, size, and other basic information for each tree.